Frozen Elsa clothespin doll

You can easily create this cute little Frozen inspired clothespin doll.  All you need is a little ribbon, clothespin with stand and a dowel cap.  Add a snowflake button or charm and some yarn for the hair and she will be ready to display throughout the holidays.  Its all glued together so it works up so quickly you will be amazed!

Supplies:

Clothespin (for doll making)

Clothespin stand

Large dowel cap to fit over the clothespin

5/8” teal colored grosgrain ribbon

5/8” sparkle teal colored ribbon

Scraps of heavy variegated yellow/white yarn (you can substitute lt. yellow if you want)

White sparkle chenille stem

Hot glue gun and hot glue sticks

Small snowflake button or charm

Silver Bowdabra bow wire - Bowdabra bow wire is easy on the hands and is useful for so many projects!

Instructions:

1.     Cut the chenille stem 8” long.  Fold in half and attach in the center of the neck of the clothespin with some hot glue. 

2.     Wrap each side around, gluing as you go to the front.  You will create a scarf on the neck and two arms.  Make sure the arms are even on both sides.

3.     Cut eight strips of the teal grosgrain ribbon 4” long and six 4” strips from the sparkle ribbon.

4.     Begin gluing each strip of grosgrain ribbon right under the scarf working your way around the clothespin. 

5.     After you have added all the grosgrain ribbon strips, add the sparkle strips starting at the side of the clothespin, around the back and end on the opposite side.

6.     Glue the dowel cap onto the top of the clothespin for the head.

7.     Gather a few lengths of yarn and glue to the top of the head and slightly down one side.  Braid the yarn and tie with Bowdabra silver bow wire.

8.     Add the snowflake to the center and adjust the arms.  Fan out the dress and stand up to display.

If you like this quick and easy tutorial, please visit Bowdabrablog for hundreds more free craft tutorials!

Thanksgiving thoughts and craft tutorials

Thanksgiving is almost here.  Sometimes because of Christmas sales, black Friday and more materialistic pursuits, some of us have lost sight of the true meaning of Thanksgiving.  So today I would like everyone to sit back, take a breather and think about all we have to be thankful for.  I am adding my list in this post but I encourage you all to make lists of your own.  Read them aloud during your Thanksgiving celebration. Be thankful for the little things, the ones that don’t require a credit card or checkbook.  And since crafting is a relaxing and enjoyable hobby I am adding a list of free (as always) thanksgiving tutorials you can create quick and easy!  Just click on the photo for the full tutorial.

I am thankful for:

The colors and beauty of sunsets and sunrises – There are those who cannot see

Family and friends – There are those who are alone

The roof over my head and food on my plate – There are those who are hungry and cold

Childlike innocence and acceptance – There are those who judge unfairly

My dog – Loyalty cannot be bought

Good things that often follow the bad.  You see, they say when one door closes another one opens.  The key is to actually notice that other door and leave the past behind

Colorful fall leaves on the trees and piles to jump in – There are those who cannot walk thought the forests and fields

Healthy mind and body, there are others who are much, much worse.

Guardian angels – My husband fell off the roof last year and while he had a lot of pain he is alive and well and I know there are other who are not so lucky

My children – although they bring painful tears at times, they also bring tears of joy in abundance.  There are others who will never know that joy and pain.

My faith in god -which has never left me even in the worst of times.

My blog, my art, and my followers – you have taken me around the world

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Recycled floral napkin ring

Indian corn wine glass votive holder

Chalkboard place cards

Free printable horse coloring page 3

I'm back with the third free horse coloring printable!  This time we get a little crazy.  You can color this whimsical horse in so many colors and really de-stress!

What do I mean de-stress?  Well, there is plenty of evidence that suggests that coloring is great for stress relief.  And it's not just for kids!

Watch this video that explains the benefits of coloring for adults...

Coloring benefits for adults

Easy Crustless coconut pie

My former mother-in-law, Dot, grew up on a farm in rural Virginia in the 40’s.  To hear her tell it, she wanted for nothing.  Farms back then were full of hard working country folk.  They didn’t need much from stores. They raised or grew just about anything they needed, and sold goods for anything else.

She was an awesome cook and could make a meal from just about anything in her cupboards.  I fancy myself a fairly decent cook but I didn’t learn on a wood-burning cook stove like she did.  I probably would have set the kitchen on fire!

Thanksgiving each year the woman known as Granny, gran, Memaw, Mega, G, and momma would put out a spread that would boggle the mind.  Delicious meats, stuffing’s, casseroles and pies spread out on tables in abundance.

Pies were her crowning achievement.  She could whip up a pie with inexpensive, and available ingredients and have everyone begging for a second slice. 

This recipe is her famous coconut pie that makes it own crust!  It’s perfect for a break from the usual pumpkin pies this Thanksgiving or any day of the year.  And I bet you won’t have any leftovers!

Ingredients:

4 eggs

½ cup self-rising flour, sifted

1-cup sugar

½ stick butter, softened

1 tsp. vanilla

7 oz. coconut

2 cups milk

Non-stick cooking spray

Directions:

Beat the eggs in a large bowl.  Add the flour, sugar, butter, vanilla, coconut, and milk and mix well. 

Grease a deep-dish pie pan with oil or non-stick cooking spray.  Add the ingredients and bake in a 350-degree oven for 40-45 minutes. 

Serve with whipped topping.

Be sure and visit again for more Dinner easy recipes at Make it easy crafts and Bowdabra blog.  Wishing you good eating!

Easy Thanksgiving fall garland

You can quickly and easily transform a $1 craft paper garland into a beautiful Thanksgiving reminder.  Print thankful words on scrapbook paper and decoupage to the garland.  Create your own font from your own handwriting at MyScriptFont.com and you will have a personalized garland that you will treasure for years to come!

Supplies:

Craft paper garland (I found it for $1 at Target)

Computer, printer, and various fall themed scrapbook papers

ModPodge decoupage glue

Medium sized paintbrush

Ruler

Scissors

Piece of cardstock to cut your pattern

Newspaper or craft paper to cover your work surface

Instructions:

1.     Cut four pieces of scrapbook paper to the size to fit in your printer.  In a word processing program of your choice type four thankful words.  Use your choice of fonts but for a fun twist create your own handwriting font or one from your child’s handwriting at MyScriptFont.com.  Center each word on a piece of scrapbook paper and print. 

2.     To make a pattern from a piece of cardstock trace around the triangle.  Using a ruler measure ½” around all the edges.  Cut out on the inside lines. (It will be a little smaller than the triangle of the garland so you will have a border all around.

3.     Using your pattern and working on the back of the paper cut out each word triangle. Do this with all four of the words.

4.     Use the pattern to cut out four more triangles (without words) from fall printed scrapbook paper.  You should have 8 triangles, four with words and four with only a pattern.

5.     Begin to decoupage the papers onto the garland.  Brush a liberal amount of Modpodge on the back of the paper.  Press to adhere to the garland making sure the borders are even.  Brush some more decoupage glue on the front of the paper.  Continue adding the scrapbook papers alternating words and printed paper until you reach the end.

6.     Let the glue dry and hang.